Hillingdon

Hillingdon's population expanded in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in religion, ethnicity and housing tenure.

The population passed quarter of a million

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Hillingdon increased by 13%, from just over 243,000 to 274,000.

The addition of just under 31,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Hillingdon was home to, on average, 17 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it London's third-least densely-populated borough.

Population density was lower than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Hillingdon

Latest census data also show that the median age of Hillingdon remained 35 years in the decade to 2011.

This urban area had a higher average age than London and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 8,900 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 200.

About 16% of people in Hillingdon are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Hillingdon by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Hillingdon

The number of people in Hillingdon that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 160,000 in 2001 to about 130,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 64% to 49% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across London (from 58% to 48%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Hillingdon that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 32,000 in 2001 to about 46,000 in 2011 (from 13% to 17%). The number of people who described themselves as Muslim increased from about 11,000 to just over 29,000 (from 4.6% to 11%).

Just over 22,000 people (4.6%) said they were Hindu, up from just over 11,000 in 2001 (8.0%).

The population who identified as Christian in Hillingdon decreased by 15 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Hillingdon by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Hillingdon saw London's second-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12%) households in Hillingdon had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 10% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child increased from 32% to 36%.

Across the region, only Harrow saw a greater rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 12% to 14%).

During this period, Hillingdon overtook Redbridge, Brent and Barking and Dagenham to become the London local authority area with the fifth-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across London

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Hillingdon

The number of people in Hillingdon from the White ethnic groups decreased from just over 190,000 in 2001 to about 170,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 79% to 61% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across London (from 71% to 60%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Hillingdon from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 35,000 in 2001 to about 69,000 in 2011 (from 14% to 25%). The number of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from just over 8,000 to about 20,000 (from 3.3% to 7.3%).

Just over 10,000 people (2.3%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from just under 5,600 in 2001 (3.8%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Hillingdon decreased by 18 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Hillingdon by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Hillingdon

The percentage of Hillingdon residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.7% to 6.1% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 2.8%, while the percentage of Hillingdon residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 90% to 91%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 5.8% in 2001 to 5.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Hillingdon at a faster rate than in Spelthorne (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Hillingdon).

In Hillingdon, the proportion of private renting increased from 9.6% in 2001 to 18% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Spelthorne increased from 7.7% to 13%.

Across London, the share of privately rented homes increased from 15% to 25%.

The rate of social housing in Hillingdon increased from 16% to 17%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 71% to 63%.

Private renting in Hillingdon increased by 8.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Hillingdon, London and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Hillingdon

The percentage of single people in Hillingdon increased from 32% to 36% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in two (47%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 50% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Hillingdon that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.8% to 10%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased faster here than the figure for the whole of London (from 41% in 2001 to 44% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30% to 35%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people living alone

The percentage of one-person households fell here at a faster rate than in nearby Spelthorne.

In Hillingdon, the proportion of one-person households decreased from 29% in 2001 to 25% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Spelthorne decreased from 30% to 28%.

Across London, the share of one-person households decreased from 35% to 32%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Hillingdon remained close to 7.9%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 37% to 36%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across London

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Hillingdon residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.4% to 4.4% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71% in 2001. The percentage of Hillingdon residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.3% in 2001 to 5.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Hillingdon decreased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Hillingdon, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

The percentage of Hillingdon residents that were studying increased from 3.2% to 4.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in two (52%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 56% in 2001. The percentage of Hillingdon residents that were unemployed increased from 2.7% to 4.4%.

The proportion of students increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 3.0% in 2001 to 4.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Hillingdon increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Hillingdon, London and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Hillingdon working less than 16 hours increased from 1.7% to 3.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.3%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 12% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.0% in 2001 to 3.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Hillingdon increased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Hillingdon, London and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Hillingdon residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 1.0% in 2001 to 1.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Hillingdon remained close to 1.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Hillingdon by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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